...Some of the Causes of Obesity Nantelle Watson Everest College Some of the Causes of Obesity Why is obesity spreading all over the U.S.? People cannot blame the food because the food doesn’t walk into our mouths. There are so many foods that are claimed to taste unbelievably good, they can’t be avoided. It is the foods that are unhealthy for our bodies that we choose to eat. Americans want to eat what we want then at the end of the day complain about how it made us gain weight or become obese. Obesity affects both adults and young children all over the U.S. and it’s become a huge problem over the years. People choose not to eat unhealthy after they find out they’re having heart trouble or breathing problems caused by obesity. Why wait until the last minute or until you’ve reached your last breath? To overcome obesity diet changes have to take place. Government data shows that in 2012 about 34.9% of the adults in the U.S. country were obese, which is about 35 pounds over a healthy weight. The obese percentage was about the same in 2010. Since 1960 the obesity rates are continuing to grow as decades go by. If nothing is done about obesity more death causes will happen each year because of obesity. There are ways to lose weight. Most people just refuse to take action. Exercising is the number one way to produce weight lost. Some believe you have to go to the gym to lose weight, but you don’t you can simply take walks each day and shed pounds. Setting a weight loss goal would...
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...Why have Americans become so obese? Obesity is a struggle among every country in the world. Obesity is when a person is 20 percent above what is supposed to be their normal weight. Obesity is so difficult to get rid of in countries that it is classified as a disease. The country that is greatest known for their obesity rates is the United States of America. Even though America is not the most obese country in the world, America is known for their fast food restaurants severely overweight people. Despite America being one of the most obese countries, no one ever asks the real question. Why have Americans become so obese? The most obviously popular reason why Americans are obese is because of food. The first type of food to relate to obesity is fast food. McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell and many other fast food restaurants load their food with sugar, cholesterol and other unhealthy substances that make people crave it. McDonald’s burgers are severely unhealthier than a homemade burger. A McDonald’s burger has 440 calories, 23 grams of fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 1150 milligrams of sodium and 34 carbohydrates. (McDonald's). A homemade burger has about 270 calories, 9 grams of fat, 142 milligrams of cholesterol, 123 milligrams of sodium and about 9 carbohydrates (Health). McDonald's makes their foods unnecessarily unhealthy. Another problem with Americans food problems is that their portions are completely outrageous. The default portion sizes are Small, Medium and large...
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...being overweight, physicians consider someone obese who is 100 or more pounds overweight. Obesity is a scarily increasing epidemic in the United States. Obesity is the 2nd leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Obesity results in a little less than 300,000 deaths per year in the United States. The obesity numbers have steadily increasing since the early 1990's in to the 2000's. European industrialized countries such as France, England, and Germany have half of the obesity numbers that we have here in the United States. The United States has 129.6 million people whom are obese. That accounts for 64% of our population. Foe example, in 1962 there was an obesity rate of 43% in the United States. In 2004, there was an obesity prevelance of 64%. Of that, 31% are obese adults. Most obese are males, minority and under educated. Obesity is a problem that is currently affecting the children of America as they live their sedentary lifestyles. Most kids growing up today do not eat a heathy diet, do not go outside and exercise, rather they sit in front of the tv or play video game. This a problem that needs immediate attention. There are many different theories on how obesity starts. Most doctors think that obesity is due to genetic influences, however other doctors believe that obesity is due to a person’s sedentary lifestyle and environment. Dr. Riden reported to the CDC (Center of Disease Control) that many families actually have a genetic obesity marker within their DNA...
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...problems facing Americans today, obesity. It is one of the fastest growing concerns and a major contributor to this problem is the consumption of fast food. While governments and communities are trying to address the problem through legislation, nothing will change until parents take a more active role in promoting the health of their children, therefore, not all the blame for American obesity is on fast food consumption. Obesity is one of the fastest growing health concerns in the U.S. In America, only one out of the fifty states has a B.M.I under twenty-five, the number that is considered to be the benchmark for determining overweightness (BMI Index by State). The number of obese children and adults has tripled and doubled, respectively since 1980 (Obesity at a Glance). “Research from a national health survey shows that an astonishing sixty-five percent of American adults are either overweight or obese” (Loonin 14). Obesity has had a profound impact on the youth population of the world, as the percentage of overweight adolescents and children has risen over twelve percent since 1970*. If this trend is to continue, it is even projected that by the year 2030, one half of the American population will be overweight (Half of Americans to be Obese by 2030). As it is now, in the United States, one half of the adult population is overweight or obese (Ingram 8). Tommy G. Thompson, former president George W. Bush’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, explains why obesity is such...
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...Does Fast Food Cause Obesity? Every time Americans tune into the local news broadcasts or scroll through their television channels, they are likely to be stunned at the number of cases of obesity that have been reported in Americans. Seeing human beings that weigh over six hundred pounds has become a popular trend in today’s society, and it’s not even questioned even though many harsh consequences come from being obese. It is sometimes difficult to imagine how these people have sustained this kind of weight and lifestyle. Inevitably, people begin to question whether or not fast food is the cause of obesity rising in America today. Before we can clarify that fast food companies are to blame for people over eating the food produced in these facilities, it must be tested and proven that fast food is actually the main problem causing obesity in America. It is known to many people how the number of fast food restaurants are increasing almost every day. This is very convenient for fast food restaurant chains. Fast-food increases obesity by lowering food prices, tempting customers who have absolutely no self-control, and by being a suitable go to at the end of a very busy day. What causes individuals to consume fast food to the point where they cannot stop themselves? People hold different opinions on this topic. In the past, people in the United States used to eat healthy, eat nutritious prepared food and meals, and exercise with their families. Today, many people in the United...
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...many schools have eliminated physical education (P.E) programs from the daily routine. Our society has become one that is fast paced and many people have come to rely on fast food to feed his or her family because it is convenient and easy. Many parents are also working more because of the downhill spiral of the economy in the recent years. Another reason that children are becoming obese is because parents are not forcing children to go outside and play, rather the parent uses any of the game systems, computers, and television to keep his or her children happy. This is becoming a huge epidemic with so many children being overweight or obese. I am designing a program to promote a healthier living program and educate teenagers on making better health choices for themselves. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2008), between 16 and 33% of children and adolescents are obese. Unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise regularly is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year. Generally a child is not considered overweight until he or she is 10% above what his or her height and body type. Obesity starts between the ages of five (5) and six (6), and adolescence. Studies have shown that children who remain obese between the ages of 10 and 13 will more than likely become an obese adult. Obesity can be caused by genetics, biological, behavioral, and cultural factors. If a child has a parent who is obese then he or...
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...Obesity is a rising problem in U.S and millions of people are affected by it each day and it can be caused by many things. If you are obese people don’t realize how it affects your health and how sick it can really make you and that’s why we need programs to get people educated on what they can do to keep themselves healthy from getting sick. Children are on the rise of being obese and they are the number one group that is being affected. If the child is over weight we need to teach the parents as well how to eat right and exercise wit h your kids so that they wont be obese and at the same time you can be a roel model because if they see there parents then they will do what there parents are doing as well. The parents play a big role because they rely on them to guide them and tell them what to do and if you don’t do that then that could be a reason they could be obese as well. Obesity Obesity is on the rise and it went up 1.1% and two point four million people have been added to ranking in just the past two years. About seventy two million adults are now obese in the U.S and climing. (Doheny, 2005-2010). The CDC uses a surevye known as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) it is used to update the specific obesisty rate in each state nationally as well. BRFSS is a surevey dine over the phone in each state to get the accurate information they need from people. (Doheny, 2005-2010). The survey indicated that not one state met the Healthy People 2010 target of...
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...restaurants, and providing more space for citizens to get physically active. Studies have linked obesity to many things from ear infections, to pollution, to air-conditioning, to socializing with obese people. The reason Americans are obese is because of the increasing luxury available to them. Obesity is a rising problem in the United States, and with all the privileges given to its citizens, the country has become increasingly lazy. With portion sizes rising and physical activity decreasing, it is easy to see how obesity rates have skyrocketed. Obesity is a huge problem that needs to be resolved because it affects all people, unlike most issues. People of every gender, every age, and every race are at risk of being obese. Obesity rates in America have nearly doubled within the last twenty years. Something must be done not only to prevent obesity rates continuous rising, but also to dramatically increase the percentage of obese people in America altogether. The best way to begin a revolution in health in America is to start with the youth. The United States has the largest percentile of overweight children in the world. Approximately one-quarter of all four to five year olds and one-third of ten to eleven year olds are considered overweight. The obese children will more than likely become overweight parents. A child with an obese parent is ten percent more likely to raise obese children and thus the cycle continues (McBride, 2010). The more years that go on the higher...
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...Obesity in America Julie Slomczenski In the United States today, obesity has become an enormous problem. In the last 3 decades, the number of people overweight has increased dramatically. A study done by the Centers of Disease Control showed that since 1980, one third of our adult population has become overweight. America is the richest but also the fattest nation in the world, and our obese backsides are the butt of jokes in every other country (Klein 28). The 1980s were a time when Americans suddenly started going crazy over dieting, jumping onto the treadmills, and buying prepackaged non-fat foods. However, while all of that was going on, the number of obese Americans began to increase. According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 58 million people in our country weigh over 20 percent of their body’s ideal weight. The article “Fat Times” states, “If this were about tuberculosis, it would be called an epidemic” (Elmer-Dewit 58). The eating habits of society have steadily become more harmful and have started to produce gluttonous children, over-indulgent adults, and a food industry set too much on satisfying our appetites. Obesity can begin at a very young age. Many children in our society are overweight, setting themselves up for serious health problems later in life. Type 2 diabetes, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart problems are just some of the risks. Children who are overweight also tend to feel less secure, less...
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...inherent biological traits that differ between individuals relevant to body weight; to environmental and socioeconomic factors; to behavioral factors--which may have both molecular and environmental influences. Close to two-thirds of adult Americans are overweight or obese. Despite the attention of the health profession, the media, and the public, and mass educational campaigns about the benefits of healthier diets and increased physical activity, the prevalence of obesity in the United States has more than doubled over the past four decades. Add the relatively few Americans who practice the habit of regular physical activity to the many who practice the habit of “super-sizing,” and it is no revelation why this has occurred. We have inherited our genetic makeup from our ancestors, hunters and gatherers who ate diets rich in low-fat meats and grains, who had to stalk and capture the entrée for dinner. During times of feast, their bodies were designed to store nutrients as adipose tissue to be used for fuel to survive periods of famine. We are descended from these survivors, and we share this ability to store fat when food is in overabundance. However, famines in the United States are fewer and farther between nowadays, so this added fat is not used up and continues to accumulate through the years. We no longer have to stalk and capture our dinner; we can use the drive-through. According to US government’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, “Obesity is defined as...
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...Obesity? Business Research Methods 642 Donna Wall September 10, 2012 Abstract Within the scope of this research paper I will present the contributions that fast food restaurants have on obesity. The paper will identify some of the causal effect that were discovered through surveys and research of recent studies that were related to obesity. A definition of obesity will be present as well. Does Fast Food Restaurants Contribute to Obesity? Obesity has become an epidemic in America. Fast food restaurants are everywhere you look. We hear fast food restaurants advertisements on the radio, on billboards along the highways, in magazines and commercials on our televisions. Every child that is of age to talk can easily identify the arch and relate that to McDonald’s. Americans all over America have become consumed by these advertisements and have become over weight due to their food selection at such restaurants. Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable deaths in America. For that reason alone obesity has become a topic that has been recently researched and discussed more and more over the last few decades. Researchers have thrived to develop a cause to such an increase in Americans that struggle with the problem of obesity. Are there variations between Americans who most often have home cooked meals than those who eat at fast food restaurants more that are often affected with obesity? Are there other contributions to food selection that affects those who may choose...
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...Obesity Epidemic Everywhere people turn weight loss is an issue. There are countless television commercials or advertisements speaking of ways to lose weight. The question is why have Americans become obsessed with weight loss? The answer lies in the fact America has become an obese country. According to an article published by Robert Pool, “Obesity and overweight now affect more than 50 percent of adult Americans.”[1] This is a staggering number. Everywhere people look or turn their see an overweight individual. Obesity has become an acceptable norm in today’s society. Canadian doctor’s Lau, Morrison, Shamara, and Ur concluded that “before the 20th century obesity was rare.”[2] Americans have become so obese that in “1997 the WHO recognized obesity as a global epidemic.[3] Because the number of cases of obesity are on the rise, obesity and weight loss have become a billion dollar industry. Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual’s ideal body weight. Twenty to 40% percent over ideal weight is said to be mildly obese; 40-100% over ideal weight is said to be moderately obese; and over 100% ideal weight is said to be severely, or morbidly obese. Approximately 300,000 deaths a year are attributed to obesity. Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. The money spent on obesity has increased in the last several years. Obesity leads to many different medical and physical problems. High...
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...concern among health care officials. Today’s family setting and society in general is so fast pace that individuals find fast and easy ways to of getting a bit to eat. Poor eating habits and little to no physical activity are just a few contributors to the prevalence of obesity. Obesity affects individuals of all ethnical backgrounds, both male and female, and individuals of all ages. It is time that this nation takes control of creating a healthier America by encouraging healthy habits and lifestyles. An individual having a body mass index (BMI) of 25.0 to 29.9 is considered to be overweight and obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30.0 or higher (Flegal, Carroll, Ogden, & Curtin, 2010 ). BMI measures the amount of body fat that a person has in comparison to their age and height. A person begins to gain weight when their calorie intake is more than their physical activity (CDC, 2012). Lack of exercise and poor dieting are known causes of obesity, but the lack of sleep and exposure to air conditioning are also thought to be contributing factors (Causes of obesity, 2006). Other suggested factors that may contribute to the rising rates of obesity are endocrine disruptors, smoking, and certain pharmaceuticals (Causes of obesity, 2006). An individuals environment may reflect their decision making and genetics may increase the likely hood of becoming obese (CDC, 2012). With so many factors possibly contributing to this health issue, obesity is not limited to a particular...
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...Froyd 5/22/2012 Americans are forgetting how important exercise and nutrition are needed in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. America has been plagued with “cheap eats,” or inexpensive food that is proving to me very, very unhealthy. Obesity is a very serious medical condition where excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on a person’s health. Obesity rates in the United Stated are increasing more and more each year, making the United States the country with the highest obesity rates. Everyone should know how dangerous it is to be overweight and/or obese but especially Americans. Americans need to know that there are ways to help fight against obesity. Becoming obese can cause major health problems and even result in death, therefore a change is needed starting with the government and ending with each and every individual because the fight against obesity has to be a joint effort. According to HealthDay (2011) most obese people don’t think that their weight puts them at risk for many health related problems. A study was conducted by researchers in Florida, they randomly selected 450 patients seen in the emergency department and asked them two questions: Do you believe your present weight is damaging to your health and has a doctor or other health professional ever told you that you are overweight? This proved to be a very good way to get accurate information. About 62 percent of women obese or overweight said their weight...
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...Task 4 Social issues in the US Obesity has gradually become a major health issue in America and the statistics, which I am going to talk about later, is frightening. To understand how large the health issue is, we have to understand what obesity is. Obesity is a condition where someone has so much body fat that it might damage their health. We define this amount of body fat by at least 20% or higher according to http://www.medicalnewstoday.com. According to http://www.businessinsider.com USA actually has some of the highest obesity rates in the world, and in this text I am going to look at some of the reasons why. The obesity does not just harm a specific part of the people, it harms everyone. Over a third of the American adults and almost 20% of the teenagers is obese. (http://edition.cnn.com) All this obesity has to come at a cost, not only personally but also economically. In this text I am going to look at some reasons to obesity, look at statistics and also talk about the future of obesity. For major parts of the American people, obesity is not a choice. Many are raised up in a poor family who do not have the resources to buy their kids or themselves healthy meals. 14,8 % of the American population live in poverty, that equals to around 47 million people. (http://talkpoverty.org/basics/) This is one of the biggest causes to obesity. Poor people have a lot less access to healthy and nutritious food. (http://frac.org/) Therefor I would say that obesity and poverty...
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